CEiMB: Peppercorn Pork with Wine Sauce

Last week was one of those weeks that just got away from me. I was holding the leash tight, but I turned my back for a minute and it sprinted off. All I saw was a blur as it rushed passed me. I had four exams last week, and despite my university being closed due to a substantial amount of snow (3 inches), I only got out of one. Of course that was my easiest, worth the lowest percentage exam, too. In other words, there was quite a lot of time spent chained to my desk and not a lot of time frolicking in the kitchen. But I did not want to let this CEiMB recipe pass me by, especially after I read everyone’s reviews on Thursday; this one was a big hit with the group and was picked by the fantastic Rachel at Rachel <3s food.

I find that Ellie’s recipes tend to have either a ton of ingredients and seem complicated or have minimal ingredients and seem like they could lack flavor. There isn’t much middle ground. This pork recipe definitely falls into the latter category. There are only a five ingredients other than the pork, and I was pretty worried that this would end up being bland. As much as I like pork, I don’t want it to be pork-y, if that makes sense. I just think meats are better in general when they are well-seasoned and not overly meatish.

I worried that a simple rub of mustard and pepper would not give the pork nearly enough flavor, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. I used pork chops because it was easier for just the two of us, and neither of us could believe how tender and juicy the meat was. The rub did give a nice flavor on its own, but the wine sauce really made the dish. I added a little cornstarch at the end just to thicken the sauce slightly, but otherwise I stuck to the recipe exactly. It was quick and delicious and is definitely something we’ll make again.

Combine mustard and ground pepper in small bowl. Spread mustard mixture over both sides of the meat, gently pressing with the back of a spoon so it adheres well.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Put chops in the pan and cook for about 10 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 155 degrees F, turning once. Transfer meat to a plate and tent with foil to keep it warm.

Add chicken broth and wine to pan and cook over medium-high heat, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan. Continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until sauce is reduced to about a half cup.

This looks great! We eat a lot of pork around these parts, but we tend to stick to a few “tried and true” recipes. This one sounds like it fits all our qualifications – flavorful, easy, few ingredients.